This is a wonderful creation. I'm all about layers and sound complexity, the subtleties present in noises. It's so cool that a manufacturer created a synthesis engine that addresses the detail in sound, and allows manipulation at the primary pure level. The engine produces basic sounds as well as the most multi-dimensional unique sounds i have ever heard. I've created patches with this thing that sound like entire midi sequences, "songs" that have their own life and personality which would otherwise require a few synths and fx units. Speaking of FX, some people have said that the fx is crap on the K5000s. I think the fx are not super, but they're really nice to have present; it's nice to be able to fuck with your sounds and have fx presets for each patch n' stuff instead of having to tweak your gear each time.

Yah the keyboard is whupass, i love it. But again, it's the synthesis sound creation/manipulation engine that's deadly. You *can* spend really long periods of time on patches, but the final results are flabbergasting. Last night, I worked 3 hours on one patch. It was long, some of the time it was fun, some of the time wearing. In the end though, I ended up with a roaring sound that pinged and screamed and throbbed, making me see stars. Some patches i've made have ended up carrying songs due to all the melodic non-repeating variation. This is a synth of dreams, one of the most unique and incredible boards ever designed.........

Hmm.... Do not come near this thing if you're looking for whupass outa-the-box presets. There's some nice presets, but it's they're not likely to impress, or to have too many aplications. Make your own shit.

It's a waste to not use the Additive synthesis on this machine. If you use the PWM samples and make stuff using the 6 source/filter/LFO setup you can get fine patches, but you can spend your money on more distinctive subtractive/sample/analogue modeling etc. synths.

This is a very complex synth. If you are willing to spend hours creating a sound from silence, controlling and choosing ***exactly*** what you want to hear coming out of the speakers, this is for you. Fuck the knobs. They're just gravy sweetening the sounds. They're fun, and will mess with your sound but again, you'll need to program the synth to use it to it's max. What the knobs WILL do though, is to turn and twist that diamond of a patch you've made, and make it sparkle and dazzle.

Buy this thing if you love SOUND. Buy this thing if you believe in your IMAGINATION. And, be willing to have the guts to stick out the time it'll take to translate the stuff you hear in your head into a patch.

I've created noises i've never heard anywhere, on any cd, from any synth, sounds that are unreal and trancedental.

That's it. :)

If you wanna trade patches, please mail me! :)

p.s. as with all purchases, you really oughta make sure this thing is right for you................

Rating: 5 out of 5
posted Thursday-Apr-01-1999 at 17:00

TekChef
a part-timer user
from USA
writes:

KICKS ASS! I am new to synths..and I bought this sight unseen. I don't regret it! No other synth I have ever played/tried out has sounded like this. The programming is complex..but the control on it is Unreal! You really need to have another synth to compliment it.(One for fat bass, etc.)but this synth is worth your time if you really like cool noises and are willing to put some time into programming. I have had mine a month or so, and I have written a patch or two that are great sounding. The effects are not the best and do sound cold..but hey ..this is a digita lmachine and most people use outboards anyway. (I do alot of industrial stuff anyway..I don't mind the cold sound) If you can find one at a good price..get it...it will expand your setup in ways you never knew!

Hmmm...I've owned a K5000s for about 6 months now and am wanting to SELL it... I can just hear all you addictives crying over that statement! I'm into mainstream dance / light-techno and as such I initially wanted something that I could use as a bass and lead source...I played about in my local store for about an hour and THOUGHT that this machine would absolutely kick ass for this purpose...WRONG! Sure, this machines has some incredible real impersonations of old analogue gear but it lacks the punch and fatness that these machines had - yeah, yeah, so it's not an analog-modelling synth anyway but my point is that for the intended purpose I ended up pretty dissapointed. Now I can imagine a few of you saying that I haven't explored the synth's programming potential because of the statement that I made but let me tell you that I have become quite an EXPERT at programming this bitch. If you want some of my thunderous patches I'd be glad to email anyone with them (they include cliched basses, synth leads and some rather special organs...) This machine was used to produce a demo CD here in Oz that I'm currently playing about with (coupled with an Akai S2000 sampler). Realistically, the effects are quite lame (the reverbs are thin, cold and noizy) but the chorus is OK and the delays seem fine. This machine has PCM samples that you can combine with ADDITIVE patches and what I found after extensive programming all the harmonics was that there is a definite limit to what can be achieved. Basically, I found that if you take almost ANY bassy type patch and twiddle the controlloer knobs you can turn it into ANY other bass sound that the machine could possibly produce...which kind of shows the limits of the synthesis engine... Personally, I feel that this machine has a DEFINITE role to play in a studio setup where you already have other synths to provide typical bass and string / pad sounds...it certainly DOES have it's unique timbral sonifications but I think you'd be dissapointed if you were expecting this machine to cater for most of you synth sounds.

I'm selling mine for $1500 AUS...

OVERALL: 3.5 out of 5... It has its place and I certainly learnt this lesson the hard way...he he... (On the other hand, if you're into 'dirty' electronica and you require something that destroys ears and growls like a whore then GET THIS BITCH!!!)

posted Monday-Mar-08-1999 at 20:41

a professional user
writes:

Our bands recording studio always has equipment and such in there. One day our producer told me to take a look at a keyboard he had jus gotten in. It was the Kawai 5000s. from the moment i had turned it on i was put in awe by the pure diversity of this synth. never before had i heard a synth that jus overall sound like this kawai. I wont dare compare it to my jp8000 and juno 60, because that would be a sin. the synthesis type is tricky to say the least, but i like it. the arpeggiator is wicked. i REALLLLY like it. and how cool!! the casing is blue and metallic!! what a cool change!! i think this synth deserves a 5 for originalty!

Rating: 5 out of 5
posted Sunday-Jan-03-1999 at 00:59

Stewart
a hobbyist user
from US
writes:

I just picked up the k5000w on sale for $799. I'd heard one breifly in a store and knew I would like it. The great part is that after I've had it for a few days is that instead of being used to the sound it still surprises me. I thought it would need the extra sounds over the s model to make it complete but I find the additve banks have more life to them. It reminds me of the wavestation. Hopefully these will prove more reliable! All in all a great buy.Good sounds, features and well built. It would get a five if not for the poor manual.